Nervous butterflies

FORT KNOX, Ky. – With the final days of Cadet Summer Training approaching fast Cadets from 7th Regiment, Advanced Camp took on the Rappel Tower on July 28, Fort Knox, Ky.
Cadets are put to the test by rappelling down 64-foot wall twice. Once on the wall side; once on the no wall side. Some Cadets had no problem going down but others had questionable thoughts about rappelling.

Cadets rappel down the no wall side of the Rappel Tower, July 28, Fort Knox, Ky. (Photo By: Jordyn McCulley)

“I don’t have a phobia of heights but I was definitely uncomfortable,” said Cadet Brianna Russell, Western Michigan University. “As soon as I stepped out on the ledge I was more scared than I thought I would be.”

Most Cadets rappel back at their colleges; for some they have rappelled before.

“Going off the rappel tower I was pretty excited for the first drop, and for the no wall side I’ve never done that before so I had some butterflies but as soon as I got off the first part I felt comfortable and was able to listen to my NCOs,” said Cadet David McCormick, University of Colorado from Virginia Beach, Va.

Even though some Cadets had a harder time, All the Cadets did the rappel tower.

“This is definitely something I would never do unless I was in the Army, so to be able to say I did it and say I jumped off a 64-foot wall, imagine that,” said Russell.

“I definitely know I can do it again, hopefully better, also in the army they say to trust your equipment and I defiantly grew in that way; to trust my equipment,” said Russell.

McCormick went into detail about his overall experience so far.

“I definitely came in thinking that it would be a good, not to tough but there are definitely some challenging thing. I was definitely impressed by every cadet here, these cadets are really squared away,” said McCormick.

Cadet Summer Training will bring 8,200 Cadets through Basic and Advanced Camp this summer on Fort Knox. These camps are designed to help challenge, grow and improve various skills and leadership qualities within the Cadets. If you think you have what it takes to be a Cadet or if you are interested in a job after college click the following link: